Iced donuts are prepared by dipping a donut into an icing. Unfortunately, icing compositions for donuts are solid at room temperature due to the presence of a large amount of shortening in the icing. Hence, prior to the present invention, the icing had to be heated so that the donut could be dipped into the icing. A serious drawback of such process is the need for heating the icing prior to dipping and having to cool an iced donut subsequently to dipping. A donut icing is desirable which is sufficiently liquid at room temperature to allow donuts to be dipped into the icing (thus eliminating the time and energy required for heating the icing) and, yet, is sufficiently viscous not to run off the donut.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide thixotropic chocolate and white icing compositions for donuts, which icing compositions liquefy when shaken or stirred (which occurs when a donut is dipped into the icing) and solidify when left standing (which occurs when icing is coated on the donut).
It is another object of the invention to provide chocolate and white icing compositions which are essentially free of fat yet have the taste, texture, and shine substantially similar to the taste, texture, and shine of traditional solid, fat-based icing compositions.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide methods of preparing thixotropic fat-free compositions containing a large amount (i.e., more than 70% or even more than 80%) of sweetener solids.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description and examples which follow.